Two weeks ago, GovEx marked the one-year anniversary of City AI Connect, the global learning community and digital platform for cities to trial and advance the use of generative artificial intelligence to improve public services. In the year since GovEx and Bloomberg Philanthropies launched City AI Connect at last year’s CityLab in Washington DC, the community has seen tremendous growth and become an indispensable resource for city leaders around the world. 

At an October 23rd live session called “A Year of City AI Connect: Learning Together and Looking Ahead,” GovEx’s City AI Connect Community Manager Meg Burke noted that, since last October, more than 700 officials from 355 local governments spanning 40 countries have joined the platform.

 The most common topics in the City AI Connect Discussion forum have been development of AI guidelines, GenAI staff surveys, exploration of new AI tools, developing internal AI communities of practice, and sharing information about conferences, job listings, and podcasts.

 In addition to hosting the discussion forum, City AI Connect has:

• Hosted nine live sessions, including:
• A hands-on workshop on generative AI for cities with Harvard Business School Professor Mitchell Weiss;
• A panel on developing AI guidelines for city staff with leaders in Boise, ID, Long Beach, CA and South Bend, IN; and
• A discussion of navigating the ethical landscape of generative AI with Dr. Stephanie Deitrick, CIO of Tempe, AZ and Dr. Debra Mathews, the Associate Director for Research and Programs for the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
• Gathered more than 95 resources posted by community members and GovEx managers, including multiple cities’ guidelines, policies, training materials, staff surveys, ChatGPT prompt scripts, and visuals/posters for staff.
• Launched a blog series, City AI Connection, with entries on:
• “Cyber Security in the Age of AI — Five Steps for Protecting Government Data”;
• “AI and Misinformation”;
• “How Machine Learning Really Works”;
• “The Risks of Generative AI: Familiar Challenges and Emerging Threats”; and
• “Take a Moment to Understand the AI Tools Cities are Rushing to Adapt”
• Earned significant media attention, including the following stories:
• Axios: “Mayors test out AI tools in city government”;
• CNBC: “From town hall prep to disaster predictions: Mayors descend on Washington to learn how they can use generative AI in their cities”;
• Technical.ly: “Johns Hopkins’ GovEx and Bloomberg Philanthropies launch platform to advance generative AI for public services”;
• Next City: “Cities Are at the Forefront of AI and Civic Engagement”;
• Government Technology: “Generative AI Learnings from Anchorage, Alaska — ICYMI”
• Received an honorable mention on Fast Company’s list of “3 inspiring projects working to implement real change”

If you are a local official looking to support your city’s expiration AI, go here to learn more and join the City AI Connect community.